Wind and Stone
by OsricPearl
Summary: A May/December romance between Temari and Baki set more than ten years after the current story’s timeline. Time breaks and heals without sympathy. No Lemons, etc.


**AN: Do not own Naruto**

**Wind and Stone**

A May/December romance between Temari and Baki set more than ten years after the current story's timeline. After a long and tumultous realtionshp, time and distance finally tear Shikamaru and Temari appart. Temari is not given much time for healing before she is sent off to Konoha. Baki follows orders to go with her reluctantly. Above all, there is one thing she must never know. No lemons etc.

__

Sweet is the rose, but grows upon a briar;  
Sweet is the Jupiter, but sharp his bough;  
Sweet is the eglantine, but pricketh near;  
Sweet is the fir bloom, but his branches rough…

Excerpt: Edmund Spencer, Sonnet 26

**Chapter 1**

If there was one lesson that reverberated repeatedly in Temari's life, it was that time changed circumstances as rapidly as the sifting sands. The desert's terrain, so familiar one day, would be altered unrecognizable the next, molded by the wind's invisible force. And yet time, like the wind, tempered what it touched, smoothing even the most cracked stone with tenacious exertion.

She was aware of the irrevocable change the wind brought with it. Although she knew that she was by no means old at twenty-seven, she could feel the wind's effect tempering her as slowly and as patiently as it did the canyons surrounding her home. Days passed by faster. Little annoyances became less important. Arguments over petty differences ceased to move her.

But change did not come with a gentle hand. No, the gusts were violent, tossing her about like a rag doll and the life she once knew was gone. The changes began the day her mother died of childbirth to her brother Gaara. Her father had also passed away, leaving her an orphan. Of her siblings, it was she who still mourned her a father's death and it was she who still washed her parents' grave.

Around that time came the rapid-fire changes that would forever transform her life: the shame and humiliation of defeat, the hasty alliance with a former enemy, the loss -then revival- of her brothers. Most recently, change came with the end of a ten year on-and-off-again relationship between her and a man who lived nearly a week a way.

Theirs had been an impossible dream, a truth she always knew deep within her soul. It was more than just distance that separated them. No, what really separated them was the strong anchor that held them to their own worlds.

He was a man of Konoha, through and through. The more the years passed, the more indispensable he became to the village. The Rokudaime was known to rely on him. And it was whispered that Kakashi, the current Hokage, would soon allow Naruto to take the mantle at the age of twenty-five. With Naruto, it would be no different. Naruto and Shikamaru shared a very close bond. If anything, his necessity would become even greater.

Politics aside, Shikamaru was connected with the very soil on which Konoha was built. The forests were his. The Nara had been caretakers of their forests and its deer long before the villages began, and would continue to do so long after the villages passed on through the annals of history.

She was no different. A strong woman, stubborn to a fault, she resented the assumption that came with her gender. It was _she _who would have to give up her home, her family, and her life to join the man's clan. And although she had loved him, there was a part of her that resented that. She was the daughter of the Yodaime, the sister of the Kazekage, whose family had resided within the walls of Suna for generations. She balked at the idea that her children would not wear the elegant robes and handsome hitai-ate of her home. She lamented that children would not grow to appreciate the desert sands or the ever-present breeze that molded them.

Shikamaru said he understood. But how could he? He was not the one who was asked to give up his identity -his life- for hers.

After years of indecisiveness on her part, torn between the love of her home and the love of her life, time and distance took their toll. Impatient with waiting and not unresponsive women, it was he who finally decided he was tired of her ambivalence. Although she begun the end with a separation, he finalized it when he refused to take her back - again. There was no surprise on her part when he declared his feelings gone. Despite the length of their tumultuous relationship, the end came with a whimper.

Sometimes she wondered if she had made a mistake. Perhaps she had been selfish. Yet she could not deceive herself. As her brother was intimately connected with the sands of her home, so she was with its wind. In the end, she could not leave them.

Temari gazed out of a small, round window and into the dusk-kissed town, thinking of these things. Her heart was filled with regret, but it was regret she hid artfully behind a hard visage. And her piercing green eyes did not reveal her feelings.

Her sister-in-law broke her thoughts when she approached, holding Temari's five-month old niece. It was Kankuro's second child.

"There will be a storm soon," Maoko said.  
"You are right," Temari agreed. "I can feel it."  
"I'm sure you felt it long before I did. Only Gaara knows the desert better."

"Flattery will get you nowhere," Temari teased.  
"How long will it be until we will have to hunker down?"  
"Two days at most," Temari replied.

The baby gurgled in Maoko's lithe arms, reminding them of her presence. Maoko's sharp black eyes noticed Temari's tender gaze linger on her child before turning her attention back to the city.

"You want to hold her, don't you?" Maoko asked.  
"I am in no mood for drool!"  
"Liar! You know you can't fool me with that front. Go ahead and take her."  
"Hmph," Temari muttered as she "reluctantly" reached toward the baby.

It bounced happily in her arms. For a minute, Temari was happy. But then it began to reach for the nearest pigtail. Children thought her hair was a toy, and were fascinated by her haircut. Temari frowned as the child pulled the nearest pigtail and attempted to put in her mouth.

"Get this thing away from me!"  
Maoko giggled.  
"You have a way with children. I'm sure you'll have some of your own one day."  
A flash of pain etched itself across Temari's face briefly, before being devoured by nonchalance.

"As though I'd want a room full of brats!"  
Her childhood friend and devotee noticed the lie. However, she knew better than to admit it.

A knock on the door interrupted their domesticity.  
"Come in!" Maoko called.

A tall, bronze man entered the room. Half his face was covered with a veil. His exposed eye, brown and piercing, seemed harsh and distant.

"The Kazekage has called for you, Temari. It seems that we have found what we are looking for."  
"Is Kankuro…" Maoko began.

"He is well," Baki replied, interrupting her.  
"Don't interrupt when a woman is talking," Temari scolded.  
"Forgive me, but we are in a hurry."  
"Always business, I guess. I'll see you later tonight, Maoko."

She began to follow Baki to the Kazekage's tower.

"There will be a storm soon," Baki murmured.  
"Indeed."  
A few more moments were spent in silence.  
"It seems that you have been spending a lot of time with Maoko lately."

Temari was amused. Her sensei, although she hesitated calling him that now that she was an adult and they were equals, had never changed. Clearly he was concerned. But he would never say it outright. He was not one to talk about feelings, after all.

She did not hide her amusement. Instead, she gave him a small smile.

"Is that a problem?"  
"No."  
"Well then, why do you ask?"  
"It seems that you spend time with her when you have something in your mind. Ever since your yearly trip to Konoha last summer, you seem preoccupied."

"I see. And so you want to make sure I'm OK?"  
Baki hesitated a few moments before replying.

"Yes."  
"Well, rest assured that I am perfectly fine."  
"That is good to hear. But don't hesitate to come to me if you have any problems."  
"Thank you for your concern…"  
"Yes well...don't worry," he interrupted hurried. "Gaara will debrief you on everything you need to know once we get there."

With that, the conversation was completely deflected to more professional concerns and nothing else was said until they arrived at the tower. Baki opened the door and let her in. As she passed him by, she became aware of his smell. It was masculine, musky, and to her surprise, it carried the tiniest hint of cologne. Since when did Baki wear cologne?

* * *

Gaara was seated behind his desk, leaning back against his chair and completely at ease. His arms were crossed and his eyes relaxed, although she could tell that there was something on his mind.

"You called?" she asked.  
"We got word from Konoha that Shikamaru has returned from his extended mission to Rain Country."  
"Oh?"  
"He arrived in Konoha this morning with his genin team."

"Did he gather any pertinent information?"  
Unbeknownst to Temari, Baki was studying her intently, as though trying to gauge her reactions. Her manner was remained professional, and not even her voice wavered with worry. But he knew she was a remarkably levelheaded woman, and not one to display unnecessary emotion.

"As he suspected, the missing Iwa ninja attacked him. They were neutralized."  
"I see. And the bodies?"

"They were examined in Konoha's mortuary and were correctly identified as Inagoro an Kuma. Also the jutsu used by Kuma was almost exactly like the one used for the destruction the Wind Country village."

Temari frowned.

"And Shikamaru's condition?"  
"He suffered a few injuries and is weakened but not in danger. Anyway, I gave Kankuro permission to capture the third suspect, Juro, this morning shortly after receiving the news."  
"Was the capture successful?"

Gaara paused before replying. Temari knew that this meant something upsetting had occurred.

"Don't' tell me…" she whispered.  
"Juro's gone missing and nearly everyone in the Miyake household was killed."

Temari's eyes widened with horror.

"Again we failed to stop…" she began, but did not have the heart to continue.

Yet the words hung in the air:  
_Another massacre_

Gaara sighed before continuing.  
"There was one survivor. Miyake's son was found unconscious but alive. He will be brought here for questioning."

"And what are we going to do about Juro?"  
"The picture taken of him last year will be sent to Konoha. We are almost sure now that he is connected to the Mizukage and we need visual verification. Shikamaru may have seen him, or a file with his picture, while he was in Kiri. His memory is nearly perfect…"

"He would most certainly remember him," Temari interrupted.

Gaara nodded.

"This is where you come in," Gaara said. "Because this is sensitive information, you will take his file personally to Konoha. Please get ready and leave in one hour, since a storm is coming and we cannot have you stranded within Suna. Do not take the road. Since I do not trust them or our carrier birds to be safe from spies or assassins."

"I understand."  
"You are dismissed. Return in one hour for the files."  
"Understood."

Dismissed, Temari left her brother and Baki in the office, headed first to Maoko's to say goodbye and give her the news, and then home to prepare herself.

Baki remained in the office for a few moments before venturing his request.

"Sir."  
Gaara's green eyes examined Baki's unreadable face.  
"Do you need anything?"  
"I think you should send a team with Temari."  
"Oh?"

"If Juro was aware that Kankuro took his picture, with the discovery of his allies and the possibility of his true identity being exposed, it seems natural that he would expect someone from Suna to communicate this information to Konoha."

"You think he will attack her?"  
"Yes."  
"I have considered that as well, Baki. However, she can take care of herself. She's proved herself a more than formidable opponent. Sending a team would be suspicious."  
"Sending one more person with her, for protection, would not present that problem."

Gaara leaned back on his chair and examined his former sensei intently, as though trying to read his thoughts. Baki became uncomfortable but did not display it.

"Perhaps you should go with her."  
"With all due respect, Sir, I am needed here. The chuunin exams will be held in Suna this year, as you know, and you placed me in charge of organizing them…"  
"And they are four months away," Gaara interrupted. "This trip will take a week, at most. To be honest, I trust her with you more than anyone else besides my brother. I can't think of anyone better. Besides, knowing you, the entire chuunin schedule set and ready. About the only thing you need to do is delegate responsibility."

Baki did not offer a rebuttal.

"Am I correct in assuming this?" Gaara asked.

The tinniest hint of mirth clung to his voice, and Baki knew that Gaara was teasing him. But it was so faint, only those who knew him best would have picked up on it.

"You are, Sir."  
"Good. Then you will accompany Temari. But you better hurry. She will leave in one hour with our without you."

* * *

Baki left the tower and headed for his small apartment, wondering what exactly had come over him. For the better part of his adult life, Temari had been his student. She was the first of the siblings that he taught, although they all were teamed up early compared to most teams. Gaara's special status meant that that he bypassed the ordinary academy experience, and unlike most students nowadays, became genin at a very young age. Kankuro graduated early, nearly six months after Temari.

He became their leader and sensei, but their relationship was never close. Suna reserve, the ideal that dictated emotions be set aside and stifled, was something he embodied. For years their relationship was strictly business. Gaara was a weapon for him to harness. Temari and Kankuro were tools for him to forge. He was their sensei and their leader, but certainly not their friend.

Even after it they became orphans, he did not become a surrogate father. Despite the infectious changes that occurred within Suna due to the influence of the more gentle, yet strong, Konoha, he remained the same: an unshakable rock of duty and reserve. It was only when Gaara was kidnapped, Kankuro nearly killed, and Temari was left helpless that Baki's cold exterior cracked.

Temari was seventeen at the time, nearly a woman, and had become very attractive by most standards. And yet he did not notice her at the time. It was his assumption that she would one day move to Konoha, finding some loophole to grasp at the one thing she wanted, or at least what he thought she wanted. And yet she floundered. Year after year passed and yet she remained, breaking two engagements with the man he thought she loved.

His feelings developed slowly, starting with his realization that it was her love of Suna, and her loyalty to her home that held her fast. It was a love he shared, as every building, every brick, every piece of stone that his home was founded on was dear to him. Her strength, courage, and determination touched him. And her dichotomous personality, both fierce in battle and yet gentle to those she held dear, fascinated him.

For a while he thought it was strange he spent so much time shining his boots and fussing with his uniform when he was about to see her. Then he wondered why he bought cologne, a luxury he never thought of purchasing before. At times, he would catch himself thinking about her excessively.

It was the day he pieced all of these different facts together that he realized he loved her. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks. Never once did the possibility even occur to him. Romantic love was a sensation he had experienced so long ago, that he had almost forgotten. He thought that time had passed him by.

With the realization came a rare moment of searing joy, followed by a swift plunge into despair. He would not delude himself. Sixteen years her senior, he would always be her sensei. He was a fool. The only thing he would do, the only thing he could do, was to support her from afar and ensure her happiness. The feelings would pass, they always did. He would just ride them out until they fizzled naturally and everything went back to the way it should be.

No one suspected him. He was too disciplined to reveal any outward manifestations of that foolish inclination. No one would ever know. He would make sure of it. The secret would go to his grave. It was better that way.

* * *

Temari was surprised, but not displeased, when she arrived back in Gaara's office and found that Baki was going with her. One of her eyebrows raised slightly, questioning the motives for such an escort. As though she could not take care of herself! But she found her brother's concern touching, so she let that apparent insult pass without complaint.

As they were leaving, she pretended not to hear Gaara whisper, "Please take care of her."

"It will be my duty," Baki replied.

Two hours after sunset, Baki and Temari entered the empty desert void. Its barren landscape stretched far into the horizon. A false full moon lit the sands silver, as the diamonds above twinkled cheekily, ignorant of the troubles bellow.

* * *

Yeah…that's a bit unusual. But I thought they would suit each other in the future. Baki was never really paternal with them, which takes away a lot of the weirdness (for me) that generally accompanies student/teacher courtships. I don't see any indication that he is some sort of father figure to them. Regardless, I hope it was well written.  
Yes, it is a tie in with another story of mine, but you don't have to read that tome in order to understand this one. I just like making everything in the same AU because it's fun. This one will be about four chapters.


End file.
